Choreografische Werkstaat 2011
After Graduating school I realized that I have friends, family and supporters that I want to keep updated and in contact with. This website is my attempt to give you a chance to see me dance, hear about what or where I am now, and see some of my past outreach projects.

Where to start?

On the right hand side there is a list of pages which include my bio, where I am now, some example lesson plans, and a link to my dance reel on youtube.
Underneath that are seperate links to projects I have run during the past few years. These are projects I have done on my own with the support of family and school. I am hoping to run another project during the 2011 year, so please check out the projects and let me know what you think!
Also please let me know if I need to add something more...Enjoy!!

Example lesson plans

**These lesson plans demonstrate collaboration between art forms, as well as the effect of art with everyday life principals. My idea is that each form of art is a teacher for how to live in this world; Through dance, drama, and music we learn about relationships, respect, risk, challenge, making choices, and certain ideals that we face in our everyday life. These lesson plans are flexible depending on what age group is being taught. For these examples specifically we were working with 1st-5th graders. **



Sample Lesson Plan (ex: Trust)

Dance                                                                                                Time: 55 Minutes

Goal: The goal of the lesson is to explore the concept of trust and experience where our own personal trust lies in relation to our community. All the students will be asked to walk within a circle of their peers blindfolded to test their levels of trust.
Warm-up(10 minutes): This warm up will consist of a light movement activity that will awaken their mind/body connection. We will do some “shakes” and stretches, just to get the blood flowing.
Small activity(10 Minutes): We will play “The human knot” in order to develop a sense of trust and play-fullness within the group. We will then go over all of the specific rules pertaining to the trust game.
Big activity(25 Minutes): The students then make a circle where everyone who is a part of the circle is asked to promise that they will remain engaged in order to create a safe space for their peers to walk in. The student within the circle is then blindfolded and asked to walk in a straight line maintaining a steady pace. The student must walk with their arms at their side and try to remain as relaxed as possible. As the student reaches the limit of the circle the other students are to tap them on the shoulder indicating that they have reached their boundary. The student is then asked to moderate their speed as the activity progresses. This is done with every student.
-If the students are advanced enough, or have enough confidence, the walk can turn into a small improve dance circle.
Reflection(10 Minutes): We then facilitate a conversation about their experience within the circle, how it coincides with trust, and why trust is important to our society.



Sample Lesson Plan (ex. Respect and Listening)

MUSIC                                                                                                                       55 Minutes

Goal: The goal of the lesson is to do listening oriented activities that spark conversation and awareness about listening as well as exploring the definition of the word, “Respect”, and role play how we manifest that in our everyday lives.
Warm-up(10 minutes): This warm up will consist of a light movement activity that will wake up their mind/body connection. Then we will do a light vocal excersize where they will practice speaking to partners with their backs to each other from opposite sides of the room.
Small activity(15 Minutes): We will play “Mine Field”. The students are broken up into groups of two, the Instructor and the Listener. The Instructor stands at one end of the room overlooking a floor covered with many soft objects creating a minefield for the Listener. The Listener stands on the opposite side of the room blindfolded and the goal of the activity is for the Instructor to guide the Listener through the field using very specific instructions from across the room. The game requires a lot of focus being that there are multiple pairs of Listeners and Instructors playing the game at the same time. The Listener has to listen through the instruction of the other Instructors.
Big activity(20 Minutes): The students are broken up into groups and are given 10 minutes to create a song about Respect. The song has to include a melody, chorus, choreography, and a verse for every participant. Within the verse the students are asked to state their definition of Respect. Then the students are asked to perform their songs.
Reflection(10 Minutes): The final reflection asks the students within each group to look up the actual definition of respect and discuss what the similarities and differences are between their definition and the actual definition. They are then asked to clarify their definition and are given the task of recognizing specific actions that reflect their definition and asked to find moments to perform those actions several times for the remainder of the experience.



Sample Lesson Plan (ex. “Community”, relationship to space and others)
DRAMA                                                                                                                     55 Minutes
Goal: The goal of the lesson is to develop a sense of our presence in relation to our ensemble, the space, and the audience. The students will learn specific vocabulary pertaining to spatial relationship, practice moving through the space with the rest of their ensemble, and develop their peripheral awareness. 
Warm-up(10 minutes): This warm up is called the “Yes” game. The students are asked to form a circle where they have to give and receive their spot in the circle. The game has very specific instructions that challenge the students’ listening skills, and when someone isn’t listening the entire circle suffers reflecting the importance of listening to the community as a whole.
Small activity(15 Minutes): We will play “Negative Space”. The class will be broken up in halves where one does the exercise while the other performs the activity. They will be given a specific direction as how to walk through the space (circles, squares, diagonals) and then told to do so while maintaining their focus open to their partners and the space so as to not run into each other. The speeds at which they walk will be altered as they progress through the exercise. They will learn the following vocabulary: Negative Space, Spatial Viewpoint, and Stage Grid. We finish by reflecting on the activity and reinforcing the vocabulary.
Big activity(20 Minutes): The next activity is called, “Linear Focus”. Each student will be assigned a partner and asked to stand face to face. They will then spend 30 seconds focusing into each other’s eyes, trying to see beyond the eyes and envision and imaginary line that connects them together. They will then within that focus be asked to envision an imaginary line that runs from within their belly buttons. They will then walk away from each other while remaining face to face, trying to feel the energy within the space they are creating between each other, and maintaining the imaginary line. The same process is then repeated back to back. We finish by asking them questions pertaining to their experience.
Reflection(10 Minutes): The final reflection called, “Free to Be”,  asks the students to find their own space within the room.  They will be lead through a guided imagery exercise where they close their eyes and imagine themselves, the people around them, the space, and the space outside of the room. Then, one by one, the students are asked to stand on the stage in front of an audience of their peers and guided through a vocal exercise that enhances their connection to the audience and the space. They are asked to expand their personal dimensional scope to include that of the audience, the whole space, and the world. This is closed by a conversation about what it takes to perform in a space.